


Thawing Jupiter

by InkyWandmaker



Series: Jupiter Years [2]
Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Awkwardness, Love Confessions, M/M, More tags to be added, Mostly Canon Compliant, Post MGS1, Rating Might Change, Sorry Not Sorry, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, an abundance of dogs, post Shadow Moses, super sappy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-03-15 00:13:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13601448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkyWandmaker/pseuds/InkyWandmaker
Summary: Dave ran his hands over his face, exhaling slowly. It was over, he and Hal had made it out of Shadow Moses alive and were now safely tucked away deep in the Alaskan wilderness.But what did they do now?Dave had no idea. What was onesupposedto do in this situation? Sure they were soulmates- that much had been made abundantly clear- but what did that evenmean?Were they now lovers?Boyfriends?Was there some set amount of time they had to wait? Some unwritten rule they were missing?





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Welcome to the second installment of Jupiter Years- if you’re new here, you might want to consider going back and reading the previous fic as it contains all the background for this one.
> 
> As always, I write very fast and as such, I make a lot of typos. Later on when I have the time I’ll go back and edit but for now I just want to get this out here for everyone to enjoy.
> 
> —:—

When the helicopter dropped Snake and Otacon off about two and a half miles from Snake’s cabin, it was already well into the early afternoon. Snake had received minimal medical attention, waving away the attending medic’s offers of pain medication and just instructing him to clean his wounds and stitch up the deep ones. After that, the two had been quiet during the ride, eating the rations they were given and gulping down water before taking fitful short naps.

The trek through the thick woods to Dave’s cabin had been cold and frustrating, the thick snow slowing them down. Dave followed the dog sled trails he’d made, checking the tracks and looking for the identifying marks he’d cut into the pine trees. Hal had been completely distracted, looking at the snow covered trees and breathtaking scenery with wide eyes. More than once, David found himself stopping and calling Hal over, reminding him to stay close or risk getting hopelessly lost.

David had heard he was home before he had seen it.

His dogs were howling in a cacophony of noise, bouncing the sound back and forth so that there was never a moment of silence. Dave listened carefully, there was Taki- long and keening, more like a wolf howl than a husky’s- and Beans answered back, giving 6 sharp yips followed by a howl. The rest of the team joined in, their voices bleeding together into an undistinguishable wall of sound. Dave rolled his eyes.

“Yeah yeah, I know you’re hungry I’m coming,” he muttered to himself. Hal sprinted up to stand nervously at his side.

“Uh Snake, how many dogs did you say you had again?”

“51,” David looked over at Hal, watching him shiver from the cold, his emotions a heady tangle of excitement and apprehension and anticipation. “But Jackie is gonna have her litter in the next week or two so I expect that number to go up to something more like 55.”

At the mention of puppies, Hal made an excited squeak and Dave smiled fondly, speeding up their trek. They reached the opening and Hal looked at David’s home for the first time.

The wood cabin was small, consisting of only the basic necessities. Behind it, a huge swath of land was fenced off with a high gate. Dave whistled and immediately the howling stopped and in a stampede of yipping the dogs rushed over to the sides of the fence, fighting to see their master and his guest and wiggling excitedly at the promise of food. Hal made a high pitched sound, his hands clenching and smile widening into something almost manic.

“Dave-!” He gasped, shaking in excitement. “ _Dave!!_ ”

David laughed gently. “Yeah, I see them. Let’s go inside and then I’ll introduce you.”

They walked up to the door of Snake’s cabin and Snake pushed it open. He made a gesture to ‘wait here’ as he did a quick once over through the rooms, making sure that they were actually alone. He nodded once and Hal stepped inside.

The whole house was probably only 300 sq feet or so and Hal looked around, taking it all in. Everything was just how Snake had left it 36 hours ago when he’d been dragged out of his house to go on this mission. The living area was on the right. The coffee table had been tipped over, and the several beer cans and ashtray that had been in top of it were now laying on the natural pine floors. The couch was slightly off centered but still standing and David quickly put it to rights, centering the old overstuffed leather couch and picking up the cheap coffee table, setting the ashtray in the middle and scooping up the beer cans, depositing them in a trash bag in the kitchen.

The kitchen had survived the abduction unmolested, it’s countertops and the things that resided upon them unbroken and undisturbed. Snake turned around and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

“It ain’t much,” he grumbled, “but it’s home.”

“I like it,” Hal quickly assured. “It’s better than where I’ve been staying the last couple months, believe me.”

Dave nodded and stepped out of the kitchen, gesturing towards the rooms to the left of the front door. The exterior walls were the same dark wood as the outside but the three interior walls were made of plaster with wood supports, cheap doors set into them. “Theres the bedroom and the bathroom. Go ahead and clean up while I feed the dogs. Do you need a change of clothes?”

Hal blushed violently. “I have a few things but...”

Dave nodded and strode into the bedroom, Hal followed curiously. The bedroom was simply furnished, the full sized bed was pushed against the wall, a floor lamp and a threadbare rug resting beside it. The bed was unmade, a tangle of blankets and sheets suggesting that it’s last occupant had left in a hurry. Snake was rummaging through a dresser, pulling out a navy blue flannel shirt and a pair of sweatpants.

“You need boxers?” He asked, handing the bundle over. Hal shook his head furiously and Dave looked away. “Well the shower’s just in there. Hot water heater is a decent size but I’d appreciate if you didn’t use it all- it takes a while to replenish.”

“I’ll be quick,” Hal assured. Outside the huskies were yipping and crying and Dave sighed heavily.

“I gotta go feed them before they have a conniption. I’ll introduce you later.” Otacon nodded and Snake strode out of the bedroom and out the back door. 

The dogs immediately rushed him in a mass of fur and tongues, circling around him and trying to investigate their master. Several sniffed at his sneaking suit curiously while others licked at every extremity they could reach. Snake shooed them down but they were reluctant to listen. 

“Cmon,” he huffed, wading through the sea of dogs, “don’t you want me to feed you?”

At the mention food, the dogs backed off and they clumped together in their little packs. There were four big teams, each with color coded collars in red, blue, green, and yellow and they tended to stick together. The four big doghouses held twelve dogs each and had their doors painted to match the colors of the collars. 

Then, there were the special cases.

Snake strode over towards the shed where he kept the dog food and his sledding equipment but before he entered he stopped by a smaller doghouse separate from the others and whistled softly.

Kira sprinted out, all floppy puppy legs and shaking happy body. Dave crouched down and picked her up, smiling as she covered him with kisses. Then, the other two residents slunk out of their shelter.

Taki and Bella were old and Snake had long since retired them from the sled team. Taki and his mate were huge wolf-dogs and Snake had picked them up on a whim when he’d made a trek into town. The shelter was complaining of some aggressive dogs they had taken in which they suspected were part wolf. They were getting ready to put them down when Snake had taken the pair off their hands against the advice of the staff. Taki had hated him at first and so had Bella but now, after years of care and trust building, they were the best, most loyal, most protective dogs he could ever hope for.

The soldiers who abducted Snake had better be counting their lucky stars that Taki and Bella weren’t in the house when they had come. If they had, well, they’d probably have come out a lot more bloody than when they went in.

Snake gave them all a nice scratch behind the ears before he set Kira down and went to get their food.

Feeding everyone was pandemonium and it resulted in lots of swearing and pulling dogs away from one another so they could eat. More than once Snake had needed to break up a small tussle, assuring the participants that they were not, in fact, going to starve and that they would get their food in a second. Finally, after at least 10 whole minutes of fanaggling, the dogs were all happily chowing down on their larger-than-usual meal with Jackie and Kira off to the side eating a large bowl of puppy food.

Snake exhaled, exhausted. He wasn’t sure what would have been done to his dogs if he hadn’t made it back. Of course, one of his conditions upon taking the mission was that in the event of his death his dogs would be taken care of but he doubted that the government would have held up their end of the bargain and would probably have just shot them all and been done with it.

Or worse, just left them to starve to death.

David shook the thought away and watched the dogs as they finished their meal and dispersed to either sleep or socialize. Kira was scratching at his leg, asking for attention and Taki and Bella were slinking off to go back to sleep. Snake scooped the pup up.

“Hey there kid,” Dave cooed, holding the 10 week old pup in the crook of his arm. “Wanna come meet our guest?”

Kira stared up at her master uncomprehending and Dave fondly ruffled her ears. He took her inside.

Hal was out of the shower, his hair wet and his skin pink and clean. He was investigating David’s bookcase, curious to find out what kind of books a man like Snake read.

The answer was a lot of public domain paperbacks and books on philosophy.

Hal jumped at the sound of the back door closing, whirling around like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar. He was tense as a bowstring until his eyes fell on Kira and his entire body relaxed, excitement and adoration flowing off of him in waves.

“Snake he’s so- so _cute!!_ ”

“She, actually. Her name is Kira.” Dave walked over towards Hal and smiled a little. Hal’s excitement and joy were just so damn adorable Dave couldn’t not smile. “Wanna hold her?”

Hal was too overcome to speak, only holding out his hands and taking the squirming pup, happy tears falling down his cheeks. Kira turned to the new man, licking at his face curiously. She’d never met another human besides her master. Dave chuckled fondly.

“I’m gonna hit the shower, you need anything?” Hal shook his head, cuddling the excited pup to his body, overjoyed and content. Snake grinned wolfishly. “Then I’ll leave you to it.”

David snatched up his favorite black sweatshirt and red checked pj pants from the bedroom before ducking into the bathroom.

Peeling the sneaking suit off was not fun, the bloody fabric kept catching on his wounds making him wince. The top was first, being thrown off into the corner, then Dave sat on the toilet seat to pull his boots off. He rolled his pant leg up and stared at his soulmark.

_Hal._

Dave traced a finger over the black letters, following the H down to the A then finally through the sharp loop of an L. He wondered if his name was really on Hal’s ankle- if the fact that he wasn’t even sure what his name was supposed to _be_ changed anything. Snake rolled the pant leg down and set his boots to the side.

Getting his pants and undergarments off was a lot faster than removing his shirt. Snake’s body was filthy, covered in blood and sweat and soot and god knows what else. He turned the shower on as hot as it could go and stepped under the spray.

The hot water was absolute _bliss_ after the sub zero temperatures at Shadow Moses. Dave ran his hands over his face, exhaling slowly. It was over, he and Hal had made it out of there and were now safely tucked away deep in the Alaskan wilderness.

But what did they do now?

Dave had no idea. What was one _supposed_ to do in this situation? Sure they were soulmates- that much had been made abundantly clear- but what did that even _mean?_ Were they now lovers? _Boyfriends?_ They hardly even knew each other!

Dave sighed and squirted some shampoo into his hand, working his dark hair into a lather. Maybe he was overthinking this. Maybe he should just let things unfold how they needed to unfold.

Yeah, that was probably the best way to approach this until he’d determined otherwise.

But then again that kiss had been...

Well it had been amazing. Snake was sure that of he wasn’t so damn tired he’d have undoubtably gotten hard just _thinking_ about it. As it was, he only felt a little hot under the collar, his dick stirring a bit in interest. Dave rinsed his hair and grabbed his bar of soap, rubbing it between his washcloth until he got a good lather and scrubbing down.

It took more than one go to get all the grime off, the dirty water swirling down the drain in a myriad of colors, each more disgusting than the last. Finally, David did a final rinse off, standing under the spray and savoring the heat.

It felt so good to be clean.

Dave stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel off the rack mounted above the toilet. He started with his face and hair, systematically sponging off the access water while being careful not to irritate his wounds. When he was dry, Dave folded the towel in half and tossed it over the bar next to the one Hal had used. 

He turned to his clothes, pulling the familiar and comforting garments on slowly, savoring the way they ran over his skin- soft and clean. Once dressed, Dave looked at himself in the mirror, finger combing his hair into something presentable. He grimaced at how beat up he looked, his right eye a dark purple and his lip busted open. 

There wasn’t much he could do to change that now could he?

Dave sighed and scooped the remains of his sneaking suit up to deposit them in the laundry basket in his room. It never hurt to have a top of the line tactile body suit on hand in his line of work.

The scene that greeted Dave when he’d stepped out into the living room was enough to make even the hardest of hearts melt. Hal was on the floor, smiling giddily and playing razzle with Kira, teasing her and getting her all riled up. Dave threw his dirty clothes into the laundry hamper quickly before joining them in the living room.

Hal looked up at his footsteps, seeing Snake in casual clothes for the first time.

He immediately blushed a bright red, spikes of attraction and surprise and embarrassment shooting through their link like fireworks. Dave flumped down onto the couch, his head tipping back and eyes slipping closed. Hal gingerly joined him, perching on the edge and eyeing him wearily.

Neither knew what to say but it was Hal who valiantly plucked up the courage to break the silence.

“Uh, Dave?” He murmured, nervous as all hell. “About the soulmark...”

David sighed and opened his eyes, looking over at the scientist with tired eyes. “Yeah?”

“Um, can I...can I s-see it?”

“Only if I can see yours,” Dave rumbled, his voice sleepy. Hal nodded and Snake propped his left leg up on the coffee table, tugging the loose fabric of his pajama pants up to expose the black lettering. Hal was a bundle of nerves, scared of finally seeing the physical proof that there hadn’t been a mistake- that they were, in fact, soulmates.

There it was, written clear as day on Dave’s ankle just above the burn he had gotten from Ocelot’s torture machine. Hal’s breath caught in his throat and he leaned forward, his hand reaching out to touch the letters in awe. Dave’s eyes fluttered closed and he shivered, the touch feeling almost electric- like when someone kissed your neck _just so_ and your body forgot how to work for a second.

Hal blushed at Dave’s reaction and withdrew his fingers. He opened his eyes and watched as Hal turned in his seat, rolling up the leg of his borrowed oversized sweatpants. Branded on his leg, in Dave’s blocky, angular writing was his own signature- boring and sloppy from lack of use.

David.

He nodded in acknowledgement and Hal rolled the fabric back over it, covering it up. They were silent for several seconds.

“So...what now?” Hal asked, nervous.

“I don’t know,” Dave admitted, a hand swiping over his face. “And honestly? I’m too tired to give you an proper answer.”

“O-oh. That’s fine. I’ll bet you’re exhausted.”

David nodded and stared at his crappy old CRT tv and the stacks of second hand videotapes beneath it. “...you want something to eat?” He finally asked, awkward.

Hal nodded and Snake got up, moving to the kitchen to rustle up something decent for once. He settled on spaghetti, filling a pot full of water and setting it on top of his gas stove. Hal drifted over into the kitchen, awkward.

“So, what’s your name Dave? Like- your last name, not your first- I already know your first.” He was awkward and embarrassed and Snake didn’t blame him. Neither of them knew anything about one another and where else were they supposed to start if not at the basics.

“Redacted,” Dave said sourly. Hal looked at him in confusion.

“Redacted? What does that...?”

“It means that on every single official document my name is David followed by a thick black line.” He sighed and watched the pot on the stove wearily. “As a kid I was told to just say my last name was the same as whoever I’d been stuck with that month was. Calhoun, House, Pearson, Bell- after a while the term ‘last name’ stopped meaning anything. In the army I was Sears but...”

“I’m sorry,” Hal whispered. “Just- forget I even asked.”

David looked over and offered a small smile. “No it’s just- I’m not mad Hal. You can ask questions okay?”

“O-okay um...” Hal was pensive for a moment. “How old are you?”

“32, I’ll be 33 on June 12th,” Snake paused. “You?”

“24, turning 25 in November.”

Dave added the boxed spaghetti into the boiling water and pulled out another smaller pot, setting it on the stove. He rummaged around in his cupboards, looking for the tomato preserves he’d made earlier that year.

“So what do you like to do?” Snake asked, plucking the mason jar out of his cupboard. “Besides build robots and watch your cartoons I mean.”

“Oh I Uh...I read and um...” Hal trailed off, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. “Sorry, I’m kinda boring really.”

Dave turned around, looking Hal right in the eyes. “I don’t think you’re boring.”

Hal immediately blushed and broke eye contact and Dave cooked the rest of their meal in silence, dishing up their food equally onto plain white plates and bringing them over to the coffee table.

“Beer?” Dave offered once Hal had settled in on the couch.

“Uh yes please.”

They ate in relative silence, wolfing down their food eagerly. Dave finished his meal first, chasing the whole thing down with a final glug from his beer. He took the empty can and dirty plate into the kitchen, starting in dishes while Hal finished his pasta. Snake had just set the plate on the drying rack when Hal slid up beside him, dipping his plate into the soapy water and gently nudging him out of the way so he could wash properly. Dave watched him, studying his features.

Hal was beautiful in his own unique way. By conventional standards, he was nothing particularly special, but there was a charm to him that Dave couldn’t really put into words. His oval face had an openness to it, his silvery blue eyes, glasses, and smile suited his personality perfectly and the way his dark ash brown hair fell across his eyes- David had to fight the urge to run his hands through it, playing with the curls.

He looked away and Hal placed his plate onto the drying rack. They stood next to one another by the draining sink, Dave absently watching the bubbles pop and Hal trying to stifle a yawn.

“...tired?” Dave asked. Hal nodded sheepishly.

“It’s been a long day hasn’t it?”

Snake nodded and stretched, his back popping loudly. He glanced into the living room where Kira had curled up on the rug, fast asleep. “I could sleep for a full day,” Dave grumbled. He looked at Hal thoughtfully. “You okay with sharing a bed? It gets really cold out here at night.”

Hal blushed violently, the tips of his ears turning red. “Y-yeah, that’s fine. Sleep sounds good.”

Snake nodded and strode through the house, turning off the unneeded lights. The cabin’s electricity came solely from the solar panels on the roof and as such it was prudent to leave the house mostly dark unless otherwise necessary. Hal followed behind, awkward.

The two slipped into the bedroom, eyeing the double bed wearily. Dave got in first, taking up the right side of the bed that was pressed against the wall. Hal took his glasses off and set them on top of the dresser before gingerly getting into bed beside Snake. They rearranged the bedding, claiming a pillow each and burrowing under the thick blankets while awkwardly avoiding eye contact. Once settled, Hal turned out the light, plunging the room into darkness.

“G’night,” Dave murmured, turning his back to Hal and facing the wall.

Hal stared myopically up at the ceiling in the pitch black, his hands folded over his stomach in an attempt to not intrude into his bedmate’s personal space. “Night.”

Neither said anything else, laying beside one another and praying that sleep would come quickly to give them respite from the awkwardness permeating the air.

Their wish was granted.

Hal and Dave were exhausted- both physically and mentally- and it was with great relief that they easily fell into a deep slumber, resting easier than either had any right to after the ordeal they had just endured. In their sleep, the carefully crafted invisible buffer went away and they turned towards one another, instinctually seeking the warmth and comfort of another human being after so long in isolation.

That night, in an isolated cabin deep in the Alaskan wilderness, despite everything that had happened, there was peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, the next chapter should be up soon so keep an eye out for that!
> 
> Don’t forget to leave a comment and a kudos before you leave! Your continued support and feedback are really what keeps me going.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took so long! I have been super fucking sick and I have a metric ass ton of homework to catch up on. Unfortunately that means this chapter is a bit shorter than I wanted it to be but at the same time I had to get _something_ out.
> 
> Thank you all so so much for being patient with me!
> 
> —:—

David could count on one hand the number of times he’d slept in the same bed as someone else and every single time he had slept like shit- his rest fitful and uncomfortable. Trying to sleep beside someone- to drop his guard and leave himself vulnerable- was not something Snake could do easily. In fact, until that night he would have claimed it impossible.

Yet when his eyes fluttered open sometime in the early afternoon, the glowing numbers on the clock sitting atop his dresser reading 1:24, David discovered that this previously held belief was apparently wrong.

Dave was sure that when they had fallen asleep there was a respectable 6 inches between their bodies but that was no longer the case. Sometime in his sleep Hal had snuggled up beside the soldier, his arms reaching out to loop around Snake and his legs crunching up into an almost fetal position, his knees lightly pressed against Snake’s abdomen. The fact that Dave had slept through this- that he hadn’t so much as stirred when Hal had wrapped himself around him like an octopus- unnerved as much as comforted him, the conflicting emotions leveling out into something like pleased bewilderment. Stranger still, Dave had apparently turned toward the engineer in his sleep to sling an arm around his waist, his large calloused hand resting on the small of his back, fingers grazing the warm skin exposed from Hal’s shirt rucking up.

Dave couldn’t remember the last time he’d been held like this but he knew it was at least 4 years ago. Maybe longer- maybe _never_.

Snake could have easily drifted back off, content to waste the day away in bed, but it wasn’t to be. Out in the living room came a sharp yip followed by scratching against the bedroom door and Hal jerked awake, his hand curling tighter around the fistful of Dave’s shirt he had grabbed. He was confused for a moment, then a brief flash of fear at the unfamiliar surroundings, then relief as the memories came flooding back with a hefty side of embarrassment. Hal glanced up at Dave’s face, blushing, and they awkwardly untangled themselves from one another, placing a few inches between them but the heat lingered.

“Mornin’,” Dave grumbled, sitting upright and scratching his stubble. Hal was refastening some of the buttons that had come undone in his sleep, the shirt at least a size too big- probably closer to two sizes. Dave knew from experience that the dark blue flannel Hal was wearing was thick and warm and soft.

“M-morning,” Hal stammered, face flushed. Snake made a motion that communicated his intention to get up and attend to Kira and Hal quickly got out of the bed, walking over to retrieve his glasses from the dresser. Dave opened the door and immediately a small puppy attempted to rush in only to be scooped up by her master and carried outside.

“Oh no you don’t,” Dave grumbled fondly. “You are going to learn to piss outside or I won’t let you sleep in the house anymore.” Hal sheepishly followed Dave to the back door where he shuffled his feet nervously. Dave was pulling his boots on, getting ready to go check in on his dogs, when he felt Hal’s bubbling emotions of excitement and nervousness nudging at his consciousness. He tied his boot and turned toward the younger man, gaze patient and expectant. “Yes?”

“Can I...” Hal was wringing his hands together. “Can I meet your dogs?”

Dave nodded and fetched his thick winter coat off the hook while Hal pulled his sneakers on faster than Dave had ever thought possible. Once Hal had zipped his cream parka up, Dave opened the door and they stepped out into the sunny, cold, day.

Hal was literally quivering with excitement, trying and failing at his attempts to smother the high pitched squeaks he made as Dave whistled and the first few dogs crept out of their dog houses. First there were three, then ten, then too many to count and in a stampede of paws and yips the pack descended.

Instantly they were sniffing at Hal intently and licking any exposed extremity on his body. He gave a few precursory pats, his eyes filling with tears as more and more dogs joined the swarm surrounding him.

“Dave! _Dave_!” Hal squatted down, trying to give all of them equal attention. A big mostly black sled dog started licking at his face, sponging away his tears. Dave whisted again, sharp and insistent, and a set of dogs backed off, clustering around Snake instead.

Hal got up and looked at the dozen or so dogs surrounding Snake’s legs. They were all wearing red collars.

“This is the Alpha or Red team, they’re my guys for fast trips and stuff.” Dave began pointing to each dog individually, in his element. “That there is Radar and over there is Echo- they’re the lead dogs- and then its Joe, Frodo, Simone, and Grace.” Dave nudged the brown and white malamute who Hal had just discovered was named Joe out of the way. “And there’s Sam and Cody- got those two as a pair, the shelter thought they were brothers- and in the back of the pack is Winston, Maggie, Valentine, and Helios.”

Hal’s mind was spinning, staring at the sea of fur and wondering how Dave managed to remember all those names even when two dogs looked almost identical. With a short command the dogs stopped circling and the next set stepped forward- this time the members wore blue collars. Snake explained that there’s were his long distance dogs- the ones who ran races like the Iditarod. He began his role call once again. “Zeus, Leia, Xilas...the one over there chewing on Frank’s head is Luke. Johnny, May, Nike, Anna, Reese- that one with the line doing down the middle with one half being white and the other being normal patterned is Tonetone- and his sledmate is Mitch.”

Hal was rubbing circles on Mitch’s belly, his eyes roving over the seemingly endless amounts of huskies. Sure Sniper Wolf had cared for lots of dogs but the pack there was maybe only 15 to 20- not nearly as massive as Snake’s horde of canines. What was truly amazing was how _happy_ all of them were, how not one of them was sick or skinny or injured. The fenced in yard was huge and the dogs were clearly energetic and in tip top shape- the different teams dancing around Snake excitedly, happy to have their master home.

Waves of sweet fondness and joy flowed off of Dave and they were intoxicating. Watching him stand there with his dogs it was clear that to Snake this was home. A chubby looking dog worked itself between Hal’s knees, wiggling it’s butt trying to get him to scratch right above their tail. Hal was happy to oblige.

“Who’re you buddy?” He cooed, half to the dog and half to it’s master. Snake looked over.

“Ah that’s Jackie, the pregnant one. She’s on Green team with Data, Spike, Olivia, Nina, Ethos-“ as he was rattling off all the name’s rapid fire while pointing at each green collared dog. “The one with the big white spot on her face is Artemis. Beans is the one who’s rolling around on his back then there’s Greg, Olfie, Kepler, and Tycho.”

“Dave I’m never gonna remember all these names!” Hal laughed breathless as more dogs nudged at him excited. Jackie walked out from between his knees and Hal lost his balance sliding on some ice. As he started to fall Hal briefly worried about landing on a dog and hurting them when suddenly there were warm strong arms around him, catching him easily.

“Easy there Babe, can’t have you busting your ass out here- were a long way from town.” Dave’s voice was gentle and Hal’s face started burning. He found his footing but Dave hadn’t let go and Hal didn’t want him to. Hal turned in his arms, face pink from the cold and embarrassment and plucking up every ounce of courage within himself he pressed his lips against David’s.

Their second kiss was softer than their first but no less passionate. Hal’s lips were slightly chapped and Dave’s stubble was rough and scratchy but it was sweet and perfect- their emotions less turbulent than before. Hal’s hands came up to rest on Dave’s shoulders and the hands resting around his waist tightened, pulling Hal closer. The kiss lasted maybe 6 seconds, the two of them separating slowly and staring at each other, trying to quantify what they were to each other.

“Dave I...” Hal fidgeted slightly and Dave reached up to brush a curl out of his face. “What am I to you?”

David thought long and hard, ignoring the insistent sniffing and nussling of his dogs. “I don’t know exactly but you’re someone important- someone special.” He grumbled, trying to vocalize his thoughts. “I don’t...I’m not good at this kind of stuff Hal.”

“That’s okay,” Otacon scratched the back of his head sheepishly, “I’m not good at people either.”

They awkwardly stepped back from one another but Dave didn’t move his arm from around Hal’s waist and Hal didn’t ask him to. He whistled again and the dogs fell into a more orderly mass of excitable chaos. Dave started pointing out the dogs with yellow collars.

“These are the trainees- not quite broken in yet. There’s the lead dogs Rambo and Ultra. Then Lizzie, Max, Java, Cake, Fiona...” he trailed off looking for the next dog. “Alex is hiding by the doghouse over there. Leonardo and Lucky are the idiots chasing each other around then there’s Drake and Sai.”

“Is that everyone?” Hal asked incredulous. He’d never seen so many dogs in one place. Dave shook his head and a wave of disbelief flowed off of Hal. “Jesus David- how many more!?”

“Just two.” Snake pointed across the yard where two giant dogs were lurking- one laying on the ground and the other sitting beside her. “The one’s giving you the stink eye are Taki and Bella- they’re retired but they were my first dogs. They’re grumpy old fuckers but you’d be hard pressed to find a pair of finer guard dogs. They’ll warm up to you.”

Dave slid his hand away from Hal’s back and made his way over to the shed, beginning the arduous process of feeding his numerous hounds. Hal followed a short distance behind, listening to Dave’s short instructions carefully and gleefully serving the dogs their breakfast. Once everyone was fed- the dogs with their kibble and the humans with protein bars- Dave pulled a pair of jeans on, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, and he grumbled a bit.

“Dogs are pretty worked up, some exercise would be good for them,” he met Hal’s eyes, exhaling smoke slowly. “You probably haven’t ridden a dog sled before have you.”

“No...”

Dave nodded decisively and lead the way back outside. Mushing was the primary form of transportation out here and it was a hell of a lot more reliable than a snowmobile. It was important that they both knew the lay of the land and how to safely traverse it.

“Well there’s no time like the present to learn,” he grumbled, extinguishing his cigarette and pulling on thick mittens. “C’mon, I’ll show you how to harness up the dogs.”

Hal bit his lip and followed Dave’s instructions nervously, scared of disappointing and yet hungry for more time with the man.

And if there were dogs involved...well, that was just an additional bonus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not a huge fan of the ending but whatever, you win some you lose some. Don’t forget to leave a comment or a kudos before you go- they really mean a lot to me and I love talking to you all! 
> 
> Next chapter will be out before too long so look forward to that!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh sorry for the long wait and another short ass chapter! I’m kinda pinched for writing time right now so it’s hard to just sit down and pump out a chapter in one go. Anyway I hope you enjoy, thanks for being patient with me!~
> 
> —:—

The next few weeks spent in the isolated cabin were both tense and relaxing- busy and lazy. David showed Hal the ins and outs of his cabin, explaining how the solar panels on the roof provided them with electricity, showed him where the septic system was and where their ground water was pulled from and how the huge tanks of propane fueled the limited hot water available to them and the single radiator in the bedroom. He explained how the majority of heat was generated by the wood stove situated in the living room that had to constantly be fed logs fetched from the massive stockpile of wood stacked neatly inside the shed over by Taki and Bella’s doghouse. Hal listened intently to any shred of information Dave gave him, desperate to learn _everything_ about the new way of life he had been forced into and about the man who lived it.

But the days weren’t exclusively filled with talk of water heaters and wood piles, they also spent time with the dogs- Hal dutifully learning all their names and gradually gaining the trust of the more lupine members- and with each other. They learned about each other’s quirks and hobbies, Dave’s perplexed and mildly amused face a common occurrence whenever Hal tried to show him anime. 

It was during a simple slice of life anime that Hal became irritated enough with Dave to vocalize it for the first time. The laptop had been perched on the coffee table, Jackie curled up in her welping box away from the rest of the pack as she neared her delivery date and Kira asleep on Dave’s lap. Hal had looked over several times trying to gauge his soulmate’s reaction and was more and more exasperated as he appeared to be closing his eyes or looking away rather frequently, his face bored. After about an episode of him watching on and off, seemingly disinterested, Hal paused the show and fixed him with a irritated look.

“Look, I get it if this isn’t your cup of tea but if you hate it just say so.”

David cracked an eye and frowned. “I’m watching it,” he grumbled. Hal gave him an exasperated look.

“Are you? Cause every time I look over your eyes are closed.”

“I can still pay attention without looking at the screen Hal,” Snake replied, his hand running through Kira’s fur slowly. Hal rolled his eyes.

“You can’t if said show isn’t in English and you need to read the subtitles.”

Dave snorted and tipped his head back. “Whoever subtitled this shit didn’t know what the fuck they were doing. It’s so bad that just trying to watch the show is giving me a headache.”

“What do you mean? This sub doesn’t have the typos and stuff that all the others had...”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean shit if they don’t even translate it properly.” Snake leaned forward and backed the show up several minutes. “See- they keep translating everything into the informal version and by doing so they loose the significance of this one guy- what did you say he was again? Sun...”

“Tsundere.” Hal responded absently, adjusting his glasses as he stared at the screen, enraptured.

“Right- cold and cutesy. Well if you constantly see someone calling everyone exclusively ‘sir’ or ‘madam’ then see that same person call his classmate by a pet name then that means something yeah? Well the way this guy translated it this character just always is calling everyone by their names when he’s really using formal honorifics and it’s kinda disorienting to read one thing and hear something else entirely different so I just stopped reading.”

About halfway through Dave’s explanation Hal’s eyes had widened, his glasses slipping down his nose. “You...you speak Japanese?”

“Yeah,” Dave had leaned back against the couch, a cigarette between his lips that he was in the process of lighting. “Among others.”

“How many languages do you speak?” Hal asked, incredulous.

“Fluently? 6. But I can pick my way around most European languages well enough to get the gist of what people are sayin...uh, Hal? What are you doing?”

Through furious keystrokes and an almost manic smile Hal pulled up yet another show on his computer, this time without subtitles and gave Dave a look that made his eyes sparkle and their soul bond sizzle with emotions. “Hey, do you think you could translate this for me?”

As Dave came to know Hal’s interests better, Hal in turn became intimately familiar with Snake’s hobbies: training, reading, and mushing.

It was not uncommon for Hal to be woken up in the wee hours of the morning to Dave tearing free from his embrace and sitting bolt upright in bed, a cold sweat on his brow and his breaths coming in frantic gasps. Sometimes, he wouldn’t even do that and Hal would just wake up cold in an empty bed only to find Snake out in the living room doing one armed push ups or cleaning his weapons methodically, his eyes a million miles away.

Hal hadn’t yet found the courage to ask about these episodes.

The mushing, however, was strange and exhilarating and some of the best, most intimate moments they had shared since they started living together. Their first major trip was perhaps three weeks into their stay when it became clear that 1: Dave’s stockpile of food would not sustain two people until the spring and 2: that Hal was in desperate need of some more clothes. Before traveling to Shadow Moses to work on the Metal Gear, Hal had rented out a storage locker in Anchorage to house the majority of his possessions- from his PlayStation to 90% of his closet. Dave recommended they make a two day trip of it and Hal quickly learned just how complicated leaving Twin Lakes could be.

David’s cabin redefined the term “isolated.” The landscapes were breathtakingly beautiful- the lakes pure and sparking and the trees and mountains tall and proud- but everything was so lonely. Dave said that his nearest neighbor was a middle aged woman who lived nearly fifteen miles away- a retired ex-military pilot and her wife who were the main transportation out of the mountains as there were no roads in and no roads out making traveling a complicated affair.

Earlier that week Dave had called her lodge, requesting transport out of the Alaska Range and care for his sled team while he was gone and she easily agreed for the price of the gasoline and food the dogs would consume. In the three days between when they would depart and when they had called, Dave focused on making lists- adjusting the numbers comprising his stockpiles to account for two people- from canned corn to toilet paper to dog food and cartons of cigarettes, Snake had a meticulous system in place to keep himself and his dogs afloat in the harsh winter.

The night before the trip, in the warm darkness of Dave’s bedroom, Hal broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Dave?”

“Mmm...yeah?”

“Do you...do you find me...I mean...”

Dave made low noise that sounded like an amused snort. “Spit it out Hal.”

“Doyoufindmeattractive?” Hal breathed out in a rush, his emotions a mess of embarrassment and apprehension and fear. Dave stopped and turned the words over, pulling them apart to decipher their meaning.

‘Do you find me attractive?’

Dave smiled in the dark and wrapped an arm around Hal’s shoulders, pulling his skinny body closer. “Yeah, I think you’re pretty cute,” he mumbled into Hal’s hair, his emotions radiating honesty and contentment. Hal blushed so hard that Dave could feel the warmth on his shoulder.

“Should we...I don’t know...do something? Like...you know...”

A soft exhale that was almost a laugh. “What, you mean sex?” Hal pressed his burning face against his shoulder even harder in response, his head nodding a little. “Yeah sure but I’m afraid I don’t have anything- kinda not something I keep in stock way out here in the middle of nowhere you know.”

Hal nodded again and Dave gently cupped his cheek, coaxing him out from his shoulder to press their foreheads together. “Let’s pick some up in Anchorage and see where things go, okay?”

“...okay,” Hal whispered, his arms tightening around Dave’s waist minutely as he pressed his lips against Dave’s in a tender kiss. They broke for air and by silent agreement they bedded down, preparing for the trip they would be taking the next morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the next update in the Jupiter Years series will probably be Tidal Jupiter aka MGS2 because my boyfriend has decided that he cant wait any longer to play it so look out for that in the near future. Don’t worry though, I will still be covering through the founding of Philanthropy and their early years things are just gonna get a little out of order.
> 
> The next chapter will hopefully be longer than this one and might- if I feel inspired enough- have some smut in it but don’t hold your breath, I’m notoriously bad for my habit of writing sex scenes and then never posting them out of embarrassment and self consciousness. Anyway, don’t forget to leave a comment before you go, I love hearing from you!!!! <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM ALIVE!!!!
> 
> I am so so so so SO sorry this took so long- my inspiration kept running away from me and nothing I wrote seemed to turn out the way I wanted it! I’m still not happy with this chapter but I need to just post it and move on. Thank you all so much for being patient with me and I hope you enjoy this long overdue installment.
> 
> —:—

“Uh Snake? What are you doing?” 

Dave grunted as he lifted one of the dogs- Java- up slightly and felt along his belly and sides. “I’m making sure they’re all healthy to run. Can’t have them running if they sprained something.”

Once he had checked all of the dogs in yellow collars, he strode over to the shed and opened the doors. He disappeared inside and when he came out, he was pushing his top of the line dog sled in front of him and had twelve harnesses looped over his arms. Immediately- pandemonium broke out.

All the dogs started jumping and yipping, rushing towards Dave and crowding around his feet. It was clear just from how they were wiggling their bodies that these dogs were ecstatic to be going on a trip. Dave crouched down and wrapped his arms around the nearest dog, a slight smile on his lips as said dog squirmed around trying to lick at his face. The scene was adorable and Hal couldn’t help but grin like an idiot. Snake wrestled the dog into its harness and started on another. 

“Hey! Ugh- move Lizzie you’ve already got your harness- Rambo! Rambo get over here!” Hal was laughing so hard that he was nearly doubled over as Dave tried to get his sled team in order. Dave shot Hal a look. “You could help me instead of laughing ya know.”

“I-I’m sorry!” Hal wiped at his eye, his shoulders still shaking. He crouched down and patted his thighs. “Cake!” Hesitation. “Cake?” He repeated looking to Snake for confirmation.

“Yes. Cake. She’s the white and cream one over there.”

With two pairs of hands putting harnesses on the excited dogs, the rest went by without much incident. Ultra had gotten tangled up a bit and Dave had to help Hal get him untangled. And of course Lucky kept trying to jump to the left side of the set up despite him being strategically placed on the right towards the back so that the side with a missing eye was on the inside.

Finally they were all ready to go, the sled strapped with two huge bags of dog food and the dogs and people fed, watered, and bundled up. Dave had loaned Hal a thick pair of mittens and was going around giving all the dogs who would be staying home fresh food and water. Hal anxiously waited by the sled and stroked Max’s fur.

“Uh, Dave? How far did you say this lady’s house was?”

“15 miles.”

Hal gawked as Dave got on the sled. “Isn’t that kinda...far? Won’t they get tired?”

“Nah. These guys can handle 15 miles easy- take them probably a little over an hour on a nice day like this.” He looked over at Hal’s puzzled and concerned face and frowned. “Hal, I would never push my dogs past what they’re capable of accomplishing. This team here has done races of 100 miles or more- over multiple days of course- and won. 15 miles is just a sprint in comparison even with the extra weight.”

Hal nodded, his fears assuaged, and got ready to climb aboard. Dave held out a hand. 

“Wanna ride in front?” 

Hal had ridden before but he had always been behind Snake, arms around his waist and face pressed partially against his back- this was...this was a whole new ballgame and Hal was not sure he was ready to play.

“I uh...are you sure? I don’t know how to-“

Dave smiled fondly at Hal’s flustered blushing. “Mmm, I think you’ll do fine. I’ll be right there if you need help too.”

Hal could feel Dave’s confidence crash over him like a wave, washing away his self doubt and leaving just a raw nervousness singing through his veins. He stepped up on the footholds, scooting forward until he was secure and Dave climbed on behind him.

The dogsled was not designed for two people and as such it meant that the two men had to be pressed against each other- chest to back and thigh to thigh- and Hal felt his cheeks heat up for an entirely different reason than before. If Dave noticed, which was likely given their bond, he had the good grace not to say anything. Instead, Dave gripped the handle bar, his thick black gloves on either side of Hal’s fleece lined mittens, and with a sharp whistle and a loud, clear, “Mush!” the dogs were off.

The jolt of the sled as the dogs strained to gain momentum through the snow was always enough to make Hal grip the handlebar tighter. Lizzie and Rambo were the lead dogs but as Hal watched the furry bodies flex and pull, their canine grace breathtaking, he realized that the real power laid in the dogs at the back- Drake and Sai. The sled gradually gained speed and Hal felt the wind whip across his face, some of his messy curls blowing over his glasses and the two tails of his ushanka flapping. Snake called out a command and the dogs turned towards the western trail, following the well worn sled marks easily. The sun was just rising over the eastern mountains at their backs and the woods were still dark with shadow.

Dave watched the dogs and the trail expertly, looking for the markers he had placed years ago and making sure the line was nice and tight. The twelve dogs started to take a curve in the trail and Snake knew that they would need help turning the sled.

“Tap the break a bit babe,” Dave murmured in Hal’s ear and a tidal wave of arousal and embarrassment flooded their link. Hal did as he was told though and the sled slowed down just enough that the dogs could turn. “That’s good, now ease off...great. You’re doing great.”

“But you’re still doing most of the work!” Hal argued, his cheeks red from the cold and emotion. Dave smiled and carefully let go of the bar with his right hand and looped it around Hal’s middle, pressing them together even closer than before, his stubble and lips ghosting over Hal’s neck making him shiver and their soul bond sing.

“Maybe so, but I think I like this configuration better.”

Hal whimpered, honest to god _whimpered_ , and Dave smirked as he watched Hal’s knees buckle slightly. Snake replaced his hand on the bar of the sled and let the tension simmer while he guided the dogs towards Nikki and Harriet’s lodge.

The dogs crested a hill and Hal caught the first glimpse of their destination. The lodge was made of wood- like Snake’s- but it was clear that their home was a bit less rustic than Snake’s. Their house was still one story but it was at least twice the size of Snake’s and there was a huge slab of concrete that was plowed and painted where their helicopter was parked. The dogs started down the hill and the line started to slacken so Hal pressed his foot on the break to help the dogs down. Dave smiled softly.

“See? You’re getting the hang of this. Remember how to get them to stop?”

“E-Easy!” Hal called out to the dogs, his foot still on the break as the pups started to slow.

“Woah!” Snake shouted as Hal stood on the break, pressing it all the way down. The dogs slowed to a halt just beside the heliport, tired but happy. Dave stepped off of the sled while Hal continued to shiver slightly with adrenaline, his legs wobbly from the ride. Dave started to unharness the dogs who laid down as soon as they were free. Across the field a woman was jogging towards them, her black braid swinging with her steps and her unbuttoned salmon coat flapping around in the wind. She stopped about a yard from the dogs and Dave nodded at her in confirmation. She fell to her knees and the smallest of smiles graced her features, her arms extending towards Lizzie and Rambo while the dogs shuffled forward into her arms to smother her with kisses.

“Hal, meet Nikki. Nikki- Hal.” Dave gestured between the two as Hal hesitantly stepped closer to Dave.

“N-nice to meet you,” Hal stammered as the woman looked him over with dark eyes. She nodded once and stood up.

“Likewise,” she said. Nikki turned towards Dave. “Harry is inside. She insists on feeding you breakfast. Would you like water for your dogs?”

“Yes please.”

Nikki nodded and took her leave, disappearing to presumably fetch the dogs their water. Hal helped Dave retrieve the dog food from the sled’s covering and together they fed the hungry dogs. Nikki dropped bucket after bucket of water for the dogs to slurp up which they did. Now fed and watered, the dogs let themselves be herded towards the fenced enclosure to the west end of the cabin where the dogs happily plopped down and rested.

Nikki knelt next to a dog with grey patches and mismatched eyes- Fiona- and stoked her ears slowly. Lucky wedged himself between Hal’s legs and wiggled his butt begging for scratches while Snake crouched low and paid his dogs soft complements- praising their good work and thanking them for the help. The back door to the cabin swung open and a tall muscular woman stood in the morning light, a spatula in one hand.

“Eh- you lot! Breakfast is ready! Get in ‘ere before it gets cold!” The brown skinned woman barked. Nikki rose to her feet and led the way inside shortly followed by Dave who patted a nervous Hal on the back.

“That’s Harry,” he grumbled. “She’s actually pretty nice despite all the yelling.”

The interior of the couple’s cabin was reminiscent of how Snake furnished his home. The only difference was everything here seemed a little more coordinated. Dave had clearly just furnished his apartment with whatever he could find but a little more care went into selecting the pieces in Nikki and Harry’s lodge. A huge stone fireplace roared in the middle of the living space surrounded by brown leather sofas, their three legged cat Butterfly napping on the rug under the coffee table. Harry was placing several plates on the table- each loaded up with scrambled eggs, French toast, and looks like fried ham. Upon a silent prompting from Nikki, Hal and Dave shucked their coats and joined their hosts at the table.

“Dig in,” Harry ordered with a clap as she waited to start until everyone else had tried it, watching them expectantly. Dave sliced his ham and took a big bite while Hal started on his eggs and Nikki devoured her French toast. “...Well?” Harry asked, impatient.

“It’s pretty good,” Snake mumbled around a full mouth as Hal gave her a furious nod, cheeks full of egg. Harry turned to her wife.

“And what do you think love?”

“...excellent as always Harry.” Nikki replied with a small smile, eyes soft. Mollified, Harry dug into her food, eating like a starved animal. A not entirely comfortable quiet settled over the table.

“So...” Hal began hesitantly as he cut up his toast. “Snake says that he worked with you guys before?”

“Yes,” Nikki replied. “At FOXHOUND.”

“Did training together,” Harry added, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand. “Snake was just a kid then.”

Dave grumbled but didn’t deny her claim. Hal’s interest was immediately piqued.

“A kid?” He asked.

“Yeah, he was just this little teenager- way younger than everyone else- and everybody wondered how the hell this kid even got here. ‘Course nobody could ask him, what with him disappearing during all our free time and talkin even less than Nikki here.” Harry stared at Snake intently. “Where did you even go anyway?”

“The roof,” Snake grumbled, scowling at the change in topic. “The barracks were too noisy for me. I just wanted to read.”

Nikki nodded sympathetically as she started to collect the empty plates and carry them into the kitchen. Harry lightly smacked her forehead. “Duh! Of course- now I remember. I actually managed to get a picture of you up there when I was on my way back from the mess hall. Still got it here somewhere,” she looked at Hal, a knowing smirk playing on her freckled face, “wanna see?”

“Yeah!” Hal replied enthusiastically at the same time Snake shook his head. Harry ignored him and stood up so fast her chair squeaked against the wood floors before thundering off, her boots tapping on the floor loud enough to make the cat move to the couch instead. A minute passed and Harry returned, a Polaroid shot in her hand that she waved around triumphantly.

“I found it! Little devil was way at the bottom of the shoe box but here it is!” She slapped it down on the table and Hal immediately picked it up, eyes wide.

The photo wasn’t the best Hal had ever seen but the moment it had captured within its light sensitive paper was breathtaking in its unspoken poignancy. Young Dave was both exactly like how Hal had pictured him and nothing like him. His hair was still brown, his face still serious, his body still fit but he hadn’t yet built his physique into something akin to a god-like stature and he had yet to develop the hard cynical look in his eyes. The sun was just starting to set when the photo was taken and David was sitting cross legged on the flat roof of a cinderblock building, no older than 15 or 16. Hal was vaguely aware that Snake was looking over his shoulder but he was still startled when he spoke.

“‘Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.’” He grumbled and Hal jumped slightly.

“Wha-?”

Snake gestured at the book in the younger Dave’s hands. “What I was reading. It was To Kill a Mocking Bird. Line always stuck with me.” He gently took the photo out of Hal’s hands and studied it for a moment, his face closed off and his emotions strangely hollow- like when you reached into a bowl that you thought had something in it only to find it empty. He made eye contact with Harry who was watching him thoughtfully, her wife at her side. “Can I keep this?”

“Yeah sure, it’s you in the picture ain’t it?” Harry replied with a shrug. “But c’mon, day isn’t getting any longer and we got shit to do.”

Snake nodded and tucked the photo away in the inner most pocket of his black thermal coat. Together, everyone got suited up and they trudged out to the helicopter parked outside, Nikki locking the door and Harry waving them inside. Everyone settled in and Nikki too the pilot’s seat first.

“Buckle up,” She said, flicking some switches and bringing the chopper to life. “High winds are expected. Everything goes well we’ll get there before 10.”

The helicopter slowly rose into the sky and Nikki brought it around to face east, heading towards Anchorage over the breathtaking mountains that shielded them from the world. Hal stated out the window in awe, his breath fogging the glass while his hand slithered over to lace his fingers with David.

High above the mountains, Hal found that for once, his incessant anxiety and self consciousness had, just for a moment, fallen silent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> —:—
> 
> I feel like the ending is too abrupt but at the same time I had no idea where I should cut it off so...yeah.
> 
> Next chapter will probably pick up either at them riding home or just ending up home because I don’t think you guys would want to listen to me describe their shopping trip and I don’t wanna write it so...
> 
> I hope you guys liked it more than I did! Please leave a comment or a kudos before you go and don’t forget that the first chapter of Tidal Jupiter is now up and will probably be updated in the next few days! Thank you all for your patience and a special thanks to Koobie for helping me get through this creative slump with her adorable doodles! My readers are the best! <3
> 
> UPDATE 5/19/18: Next chapter is in the process of being written, this series is NOT orphaned.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry this was so long in the works!!! It was defiantly giving me a hard time and my life kinda went crazy so I’m super super sorry about the wait! A huge thank you to my friend Koobie who helped me through this horrible writers block- you deserve a fucking trophy.
> 
> Also I would like you to notice the change in rating and the additional tags before you continue as there will be sappy, explicit, sexy times ahead.
> 
> —:—

It was very very late when Dave and Hal got back from their trip to Anchorage and after putting the sled away and feeding all the dogs they simply piled their purchases and possessions up on the kitchen counter and all over the floor before going to bed. The trip had been a real chore to get through all in one day as they planned.

Nikki and Harry had gotten permission to land their helicopter at the local airfield and the two groups went their separate ways- Dave and Hal hopping in a rental car to go to the storage facility and the ladies heading off to refuel. It had taken them a little over and hour to sort through the unorganized mess and pack some boxes full of clothes and personal belongings. The rest of the day was spent hopping from store to store to get the items on Dave’s list and make it back to the Butterflies on time.

The ride back to their lodge and the sled ride home was mostly uneventful. There was a moment of panic when Nikki’s cat had dashed out into the snow while Hal had been harnessing up the dogs but only two yards in the cat had discovered she didn’t like the cold and turned back to go warm her paws by the fire. Harry had forced some homemade bread into their hands before they took off with demands that they come visit again soon and the ride home was uneventful- if a little scary once the sun had set and it was all dark.

The next morning Hal woke up to find the space next to him empty. He retrieved his glasses and shuffled out into the living area. Dave was in the kitchen, putting away canned goods and boxed pasta and preserves.

“Morning,” Dave mumbled, lifting up another grocery sack to rest on the counter. Hal helped himself to some coffee in the percolator on the stove.

“G’mornin,” Hal yawned as he used his foot to push a box of his stuff into the living room and after placing his coffee on the coffee table gave Jackie’s neck a scratch. She was due to have her pups any day and was the main reason they had hurried home so fast. “What time is it?”

“Quarter past nine. Dogs have already had their breakfast.” Dave looked over as Hal rummaged around in his box, “...what’s in that box?”

“Some computer stuff...couple books... my Gameboy and...” Hal had a triumphant noise as he held up a slim black console with cables coming off of it. “Was gonna try to hook this thing up and see if it was still okay after all that time in storage.”

Dave poured himself another cup of coffee and joined Hal on the couch, his face passive to the outside observer but his emotions a mix of fondness and curiosity. “Why wouldn’t it be? Place was pretty dry...didn’t see any signs of mice or anything...”

“The cold,” Hal stated as he moved to the floor and started fooling around with the wires behind the CRT TV. “Electronics can be fidgety sometimes in extreme temperatures.”

Dave hummed and watched Hal work for a moment. “...I’m gonna do laundry later, need anything washed?”

“Should probably wash most of my clothes from storage. They kinda smelled funny.”

Dave nodded and finished his coffee. The moment he stood up Kira jumped up onto the couch and claimed his spot, worming her way into Hal’s arms and licking his face. Hal laughed gleefully and with a barely noticeable smile Snake gathered up their large buildup of laundry into a basket and took it into the kitchen where he filled the large wash tub with warm water and detergent.

Washing clothes by hand was not exactly an easy task but Dave found a strange sort of satisfaction in the rhythmic lift, scrub, dunk, swish, repeat. Start with the whites working from least to most soiled, drain the tub, rinse, wring, set aside- restart the process with colors then blacks. Sometime during the colors Hal managed to get the PlayStation working but was having issues with getting the controller to work. Dave sort of tuned him out and was uncharacteristically startled when Hal came up behind him and asked him a question.

“Er, Sorry. What?” He eloquently asked, embarrassment making a flush creep up his neck.

“I asked if you had a screw driver somewhere, I wanna take apart this controller to see if there’s something wrong but...” Hal’s curiosity slowly chased away Dave’s embarrassment as he leaned over the wash tub. “How do you- oh!”

Hal’s glasses slipped off his nose before he could grab them and fell with a slash right into the soapy water. Dave grumbled something that might have been a “I got it” at the same time Hal had quickly dropped to his knees stuttering embarrassed apologies. Hal’s knee slid slightly on the damp tile of the kitchen floor and in his efforts to stop himself from face planting into the water he bumped into Dave’s arm while the other clutched at the rim of the wash tub and the whole thing tipped dangerously towards them, sloshing water out onto Hal’s face and drenching their clothes. Dave cursed as he got the tub steady again, fishing Hal’s glasses out before turning his attention to the man, intending to ask if he was alright and give his glasses back.

But the sight that greeted him stole the words right out of his mouth.

Hal was soaked. His soft curly hair was wet and rivulets of soapy water were dripping down his face and into his eyes which were squinting and blinking more than normal, partially from the soap but mostly from his blurry vision. The shirt he had borrowed from Dave on that first day- the soft navy blue flannel- had slipped down to partially reveal one shoulder and a delicate flush was creeping up from his chest to his cheeks and his ears while embarrassment flooded their empathetic link.

Dave snorted a laugh and covered his mouth but they wouldn’t stop coming. The embarrassment from Hal doubled for a moment until he realized Dave wasn’t laughing at _him_ but was instead laughing at the situation. Hesitantly Hal smiled then started to laugh as well. The pair kelt in the floor- wet and laughing while Dave’s sneaking suit sat in the water forgotten. Dave pulled himself together before Hal did and gently he brushed some curls out of Hal’s eyes and returned his glasses to his face. Hal blinked a few times in surprise, his laughs quieting down until their eyes met and suddenly finishing laundry and fixing PlayStation controllers became the last thing on their minds.

Dave lunged forward at the same time Hal wrapped his arms around his neck, their lips crashing together in a kiss that bowled them over, landing Hal flat on his back with Dave straddling his hips, a knee between his thighs and his hands in either side of his head. Hal’s fingers worked their way into Dave’s dark hair, nails gently raking against his scalp earning him a pleased grumble from the soldier and a gentle nip to his lip. They parted for air, panting slightly as their eyes locked into one another, both of their pupils blown black with lust.

“Do you wanna...?” Dave started and Hal nodded eagerly.

“God yes.”

David stood up and before Hal could even start getting up to follow him Dave had scooped him up in his arms, carrying him bridal style into the bedroom and slamming the door behind him to keep the dogs from bothering them. Hal was deposited on the bed and for a brief second Hal worried about him getting the sheets wet with his clothes before Dave was back on top of him, kissing him like his life depended on it and Hal’s ability to think rationally went out the window.

David’s fingers clumsily unbuttoned Hal’s shirt, his mind hazy with the intoxicating loop of arousal that was happening between them. Dave could actually _feel_ how turned on Hal was and Hal could feel it too and it was making it even harder to think- to take this slow. Dave had thought about how they’d do this- had _wanted_ this for weeks but he had no idea how to approach the subject. He’d never had an actual relationship before and certainly had never had one with someone who was so important to him. He had planned to take this slow- Hell the other night when they had talked about getting intimate they had both planned to take it slow- but now...

Dave tossed Hal’s shirt across the room and Hal surged upwards, taking the lead in the kiss, one hand gripping David’s hair and the other worming his way up Dave’s sweatshirt, fingers and palms tracing his muscular torso reverently. His fingers brushed over a circle of raised, tender, scar tissue just above his heart on his left pectoral where Sniper Wolf had shot him but before the thought had fully formed and had time to sink in and ruin the mood David had quickly pulled the sweatshirt off and tossed it someone on the other side of the room where Hal’s borrowed flannel lay in a crumpled heap. Dave’s lips fell to Hal’s collar bone and his kissed a trail of searing kisses upwards, stoping every now and again to nip and suck. Hal’s shaking hands grabbed at Dave’s belt and unbuckled it, his fingers popping the button of his jeans and pulling down the zipper before his hands slipped down his back and he finally did what he had been wanting to do for _weeks_ ; squeeze David’s perfect fucking ass. Dave gasped slightly, lips briefly lifting from Hal’s neck before he continued trailing kisses and love bites up his neck till he gently nipped the sensitive skin right below his ear.

“Do you wanna take it?” He asked, voice low and gravely with lust. Hal moaned at the implication and he nodded frantically.

“Yes! Just- please-!”

“Hold on, I got you.” Dave soothed as his left hand dove under the edge of the bed, fingers scrambling for the grocery sack he had stashed there earlier in the day. Hal was impatiently tugging Dave’s pants down and he lifted his hips slightly so he could wiggle out of them. The sack was brought up and placed on the currently unoccupied side of the bed. Once David was completely naked he turned his attention to the flushed and frazzled nerd beneath him. “Beautiful...” he breathed, eyes taking in his damp ash brown curls and silver eyes.

Hal ground his hips up against Dave, whining pathetically. “Please hurry!” He panted out as Dave pinned his hips down so he could pull Hal’s sweatpants and boxers off. The scientist practically wiggled right off the bed in his attempts to speed the process along but finally his sweatpants joined the rest of their clothes on the floor and he tossed his head back and moaned when Dave palmed his cock. “Yes!!”

Dave continued to grope Hal’s crotch as his left hand reached into the bag and fished out a bottle of lube. He popped the cap and reluctantly retrieved his hand. Hal made a whine in protest, his eyes flying open and the hand not currently digging into the sheets for dear life coming up to correct his glasses but the protest died on his lips when he saw Dave coating his fingers in the slick substance. “You ready?” he asked, his fingers moving into position and his other hand gently lifting up one of Hal’s legs to rest on his shoulder, his fingers wrapped around the ankle with Hal’s soul mark.

Hal nodded, mouth dry as Dave slowly started to work a finger into his entrance. He whined softly, wishing that Dave would just _do it_ already. Patience was never Hal’s strong suit and while he _knew_ that in the end he’d be grateful Dave had properly prepared him (especially since when Hal had chances a glance down at Dave’s hard cock it had become clear that he was much _much_ bigger than any of the men he’d had before- not that there were very many to begin with) but Hal just wanted to get in with it- he wanted Dave inside him _now_. He was tired of waiting- why were they even waiting? He couldn’t remember. Dave added another finger and Hal’s thoughts short circuited again, his eyes squeezing closed as Dave’s fingers hit his prostate and he mewled pathetically, flooding their soul bond with pleasure that was enough to make even Dave stop for a moment, gasping.

“Please!” Hal cried. “Don’t stop- please don’t sto-!”

“I’m not,” he grumbled, sliding a third finger inside and working his mate’s walls open. “I just don’t wanna hurt you.”

“You won’t just-!” Hal tossed his head to the side, his eyes landing on the box of condoms and his hand diving to retrieve one. He held it up to Dave. “Please.”

David stopped working his fingers in and out of his lover and he gently took the foil wrapped package from between Hal’s fingers. “You sure?”

“Positive.”

Dave nodded and tore the package open, slipping the condom on over his throbbing member. He lined himself up and looked to Hal, asking for permission which he was eagerly given. He pushed inside.

The pleasure that flowed through Dave’s body was unparalleled, the heat and the pressure perfect but not nearly as perfect as the moan Hal made when he entered him. Hal’s eyes were closed, his emotions throbbing through their link in time with his racing heartbeat and it took every fiber of David’s being not to just let loose and pound into the man. He wanted- no _needed_ this to be good for _both_ of them. Dave pushed inside slowly- inch by torturous inch- until he was fully seated between Hal’s thighs. Hal’s eyes flew open and he reached up, his hands resting on either side of Dave’s face as he pulled him down for a kiss. Their lips met and as Hal carded his fingers into Dave’s hair Dave started to move.

He started slow, his hands gripping Hal’s thighs as he fought against the urge to just pound him into the mattress. Hal started making breathy little moans on each glide in, a hand falling out of Dave’s hair to pump his own cock in time with his thrusts.

“Faster,” Hal gasped, his brow knitting. David complied, speeding up the rhythm of his thrusts, pressing downwards and seeking out that spot he knew was there and that he knew would drive Hal insane. Hal’s back arched up off the bed, a loud keening cry being ripped out of his throat as his pleasure flooded his system, making both of their brains go white for a moment. Hal didn’t even need to beg Dave to do that again, he was already doing it and it felt _wonderful_. With every sinful slide inside of him Hal felt his thighs shake and his cock throb as Dave brushed his prostate. He tried to give out an order but he couldn’t get his mouth to work right, he was breathing so hard all he was doing was panting.

Dave himself felt like he was going insane with the wonderful addictive _heat_ he was engulfed in that he was sure that he could fuck every single adult in this world and none of them could ever compare to this. He could feel Hal’s fingers in his hair, his thighs clamped around his waist, he could hear Hal’s breathy wonderful moans urging him to fuck him harder, faster, more more more- and Dave complied because he needed this too. His heart was pounding harder than he’d ever felt it before and it was exhilarating. He’d had sex before but never like this- he hadn’t even known it could _be_ like this- and when he felt Hal tighten around him and _scream_ as his orgasm ripped through him Dave pressed his face into Hal’s neck, feeling the man’s pulse throb in time with his heart and his walls and with a series of jerky, rough, thrusts Dave was coming with a broken moan as well.

It took them both several minutes to come down from their intense orgasms, their pulses slowing into something more reasonable. Hal regained his senses a little before Dave and gently he massaged his fingers through his scalp. He’d noticed Dave loved it when he did that and this time was no different as a pleased grumble almost like a purr came from the man who was- ostensibly the Greatest Soldier in the World. Snake cracked an eye open and carefully pulled out eliciting a small wince from Hal.

“That was...” Dave started, trailing off as he searched for a proper descriptor for what was clearly the most intense orgasm of his life. Hal felt similarly dazed.

“It was.” Dave mulled that over and nodded once, propping himself up on forearms. Hal frowned at the stickiness coating both of their chests and stomachs. “We need a shower.”

“Mm-hm”

“And a change of clothes.”

“Mmm...”

Hal paused as he followed that train of thought and groaned. “But all our clothes are in the laundry.”

“We would have had clean ones if someone hadn’t distracted me while doing the laundry.” Dave teased, a wolffish grim creeping into his features. Hal blushed a bright red as he covered his face with his hands. Dave bent down and pressed a kiss to Hal’s neck. “Guess we’ll just have to walk around naked til they’re dry huh?”

“Oh god, I’m sorry! I’m so embarrassed I-“

“Hal,” Dave waited til his lover looked up at him. “I was joking.”

Hal blushed even more and stammered out another unwarranted apology that David was only half aware of because it was at that precise moment when their eyes had met that he had suddenly been overcome by a powerful, all encompassing, realization.

This man- this goofy, nerdy, strange man who entered his life so unexpectedly and had changed it for the better- he realized that he couldn’t live without this man. This man had become something essential for his lively hood- something on par with oxygen or water. David realized something so earth shattering that he couldn’t unrealize it and it would never not be true: 

He was in love with Hal Emmerich. He was in love with Hal Emmerich and the moment he realized it he had blurted it out, cutting off Hal’s nonsensical ramblings.

“W-what did you say?” He stuttered, eyes wide.

Nervousness. David knew that if he was to lift his hands up they would be shaking. “I said I love you.”

Hal made a soft sound almost like an ‘oh’ and licked his lips, a deep nervousness sweeping over him as well. For a brief, heart stoping second Dave was _sure_ that Hal was going to reject him, say that he didn’t feel the same way- this was stupid! It was too soon- he _knew_ it was too soon why did he fucking _say_ that!? Why couldn’t he just sh-

“I love you too.”

...what?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *covers face with hands* Ahhhhh fuck I cannot even read this right now because then I’ll never post it!!! Fuck!
> 
> As usual don’t forget to leave a comment and kudos before you go but I only ask that if you are under 18 _please_ don’t try to talk to me about the explicit parts. Just...general stuff please. I don’t care if you read it just...I don’t want either of us to get in trouble and I know I’m being kinda paranoid but I just want everyone to be safe ok? Thank you. I love you all.


End file.
